Web of Darkness
by Kuhal
Summary: AU. Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham, as all the villains of his past return. However, some unfamiliar faces are showing themselves. Particularly a red and blue one...
1. Chapter 1: Not-So-Friendly Neighbourhood

Bruce Wayne sat inside his manor, thinking. He took another short sip from his glass of wine, and then spoke. "It's intriguing, isn't it, Blake?"

The former police officer, then detective, nodded his head. "Yeah. I mean, I thought the Joker had disappeared. What has he been doing for ten years? The Scarecrow, well, he's never been so openly active before now. Usually, he works in the shadows. And his Fear Gas, it has a different make-up to before. It used to just bring out people's worst fears. But now, they just hallucinate. And Bane? Didn't Selina kill him? It's all just... Strange."

Bruce nodded. "I think it's time for the Batman to return."

Blake smiled. "I hope you don't mean me. I'm nowhere neae ready yet."

"No. You get to be my sidekick."

"Do I get a costume?"

"Of course."

"Made by Alfred?"

"No."

"Lucius?"

"No."

"Damn it."

Bruce smiled. "I'll get Selina to fashion you something more flexible. You need the extra manouverability." Another sip of wine. "Now, you need something. Something like the Bat, that can strike fear in these villains hearts."

Blake frowned slightly. "Thats easier said than dine, isn't it? I mean, these guys are heartless. They only fear one man. You." Blake then looked at his new mentor. "How did you come up with the Batman, anyway? I mean, it's..."

"Different?" Wayne said, a grim smile on his face. "Bats are my greatest fear, Blake. I hate them. Ever since i was a kid. They creep me out."

"Then, why-"

"I took on the guise of what I fear most, to strike fear in the hearts of those I fight against. If they scare me, they'll terrify them."

Blake laughed. "That made no sense. But, I guess it works." He then stopped.

"What is it, Robin?" Bruce asked.

"Don't call me that," Wayne's ward suddenly growled. "I hate that name. Robin. It seems so... Well, you know."

Bruce nodded. "I wasn't aware it was such a soft spot with you. I apologize, Blake."

"It's fine. I think I know what I could use. As a kid, I hated the darkness," he started. "If we didn't do what they wanted at the orphanage... They'd lock us up. Being all alone, scared, hurt... It can do some serious mental damage. The darkness terrified me, Bruce. It still does. Could I use that?"

"Yes, you could. The darkness is a great ally, especially in our... Line of work." Bruce contemplated this for a moment. "So, that is your only fear? The darkness? Not heights or anything?"

"No, I'm fine with heights. That's it. Well, that and people finding out my real name. Not particularly a bird fan either."

"Alright then, Blake," Bruce started. He then stood up, and began to pace. "How about... Black Feather?"

Blake shook his head. "Sounds like a stripper."

Bruce's laugh could be heard up in the mansion, a laugh that made Alfred Pennyworth smile. "You're right," he was finally able to breath out. "You try then."

"I know," Blake said, after sitting in thought for almost ten minutes (most of which Bruce was still chuckling through), "how about... Nightwing?"

"It'll work. Welcome aboard, Nightwing."

* * *

Unbeknownst to the new Dynamic Duo, another hero was in Gotham. He perched himself above the city, on the top of the Wayne Enterprises.

He called out below, "Look out, Gotham. Here comes your friendly neighborhood- Well, not your neighborhood, but- Well, you know what I mean." And with that, he threw himself off the building, and descended into the streets below.


	2. Chapter 2: Trustworthiness

Bruce sat in his cave, Selena rubbing his shoulders, staring at his computer. Blake sat next to him, fiddling with a black object.

"How about this one then, Bruce?" Blake sighed.

A brief shift in his eyes, and Bruce had his answer. "Almost there. It's hindering you're eyesight too much. Try bringing the brows back. Hurry up, Alfred needs to make the orders."

Selena frowned as Blake growled. "Ease up on him honey. He's trying."

Bruce smiled ruefully. "Am I getting angry again?"

"A little," Selena said.

Blake snorted, then got backhanded. "Hey!"

"I'm still you're teacher, Blake. I can hit you until you become Nightwing. Then we're equals. But, I guess we may have some assistance." Bruce then hit some buttons on his keyboard, and an image of some of The Penguin's goons tied up in a spider web was shown.

"What the..." Blake said, as Bruce frowned deeply. "Who could do this, Bruce?"

Bruce responded without looking at his protégé. "One man. But I don't trust him."

"Why not? Surely he's helping-"

"Do you know of the Superman, Blake?" Bruce interrupted.

Blake sighed. They had discussed Superman before. "Yes, Bruce."

"What's his biggest downfall? His one weakness?"

"Kryptonite."

"Wrong." Blake and Selina stared at Bruce. "He is still a man. His weakness is all men's weakness. It's what made Scarecrow defend people like Zsasz. What made Joker kill so many innocents, and what drove Bane to take over Gotham. His weakness is power. And that's why I don't trust him."

Blake was shocked. "Superman can spin webs now?"

"No, this wasn't the Man of Steel. This, was Spiderman."

Blake looked on blankly, as Selena nodded. "Of course. From New York. But," she frowned, "why would he be here?"

"I don't know." Bruce then pulled up the Daily Bugle web page, and opened up the Spiderman gallery. "Blake, this is our new 'hero' in Gotham. Super fast, and able to climb walls, spin webs, and land from incredibly high heights taking little to no damage. And, just like Superman, he has a weakness. Power."

Blake sighed. "Bruce, you aren't the only good guy. We aren't. Batman isn't the only person who wants to defend people. If they want to help, let them."

Bruce shook his head. "You're too trusting."

"Says the man who married a cat burglar."

"Hey!" Selena piped up, scratching at Blake, who glared at her, and continued to fiddle with his mask.

"I know who he is," Bruce said unexpectedly.

"What? Isn't his identity secret?" Selena asked after helping Blake for a moment.

"Some people aren't as good as others. I take every precaution - voice changing, mask, gloves, I even clean up blood. Superman wears glasses."

"You know who Superman is?" Blake exclaimed.

"It wasn't hard. Same facial structure. Superman is none other than our esteemed news journalist in Metropolis, Clark Kent."

"Really?" Blake was shocked. For years, he idolized Batman and Superman. And only a few months ago, Clark Kent had interviewed him on behalf of Metropolis City, saying he was a brave man, everything that Kent hoped to be.

Except it wasn't Kent. It was Superman.

"So," Selena said slowly, as Bruce typed away and Blake looked off in the distance, eyes a blur of happiness, "who's the Spider?"

Bruce smiled happily. "This one actually took some work. See, he actually uses the full mask, making it harder to breathe. But, his identity is secure. Theoretically. I tried voice recognition, but Spiderman's voice isn't exactly unique. So, I did some digging. Spiderman emerged around the time a rampage was started by The Lizard, a scientist who liked testing crossbreeds between humans and animals. And one of his experiments involved spider DNA and his protégé, an intelligent student of his named-"

"Excuse me sir, there's a man to see you," Alfred said, interrupting the conversation without a qualm.

"Who?"

"Peter Parker."

Bruce smiled. "We'll be out in a second." As Alfred left, Bruce started laughing. "How lucky."

"What?"

"You get to meet the Spider."

* * *

Peter Parker straightened his hair after the butler had left, and sighed. This was it. His alibi. If he could get the seemingly resurrected CEO of Wayne Enterprises to allow him to work with him - preferably with one Lucius Fox - then he would have a reason to stay in Gotham. His real reason? Well...

After rounding up all the cross-breeds in New York, Spiderman had a run in with a group he now dubbed "Why I Don't Get Out Anymore". So, WIDGOA consisted of the infamous and now insane Norman Osbourne, who was now referring to himself as The Green Goblin, a circus freak reject called Mysterio, and one of Peter's idols, a scientific genius in Doctor Otto Octavius, who now resembled a mechanical, mentally unstable squid.

Spiderman hunted the group down for months, and tracked them to Metropolis, where he had his butt kicked by Otto. His loss allowed the group to escape, but Normy was the only one fast enough to evade Spiderman. So Peter traced them to here. Gotham. He had seen them stay here for a few weeks now, interacting with known criminals, the likes of the Joker, the Scarecrow, and Bane.

Peter smirked. He had tried to listen in on the discussions, but the combination of Mono-Tone Octavius, Metallic Mysterio, and Astma Attack Bane made it too painful, even for the Amazing him.

Peter heard a door open.

"Master Wayne, I present Peter Parker," the butler said.

"Mister Parker. Pleasure to meet you," Bruce Wayne, multi-billionaire, said with a smirk.

"The pleasure is mine, sir. I shouldn't have come here, I know. But, the people at Wayne Enterprises, they didn't know when you'd be in, so I thought-"

"Peter. Do me a favour."

Bruce smiled openly at the youth. "Take a breath."

Peter smiled, and breathed. 'Okay, Peter. Calm down. He doesn't know who we are.'

"Walk with me, Peter," the elder said, walking towards the door. Peter followed obediently. Wayne played some notes on a grand piano.

Peter was about to say something about the nice tune, as a wall popped open. He stood, jaw wide for a moment, before laughing. 'He's a billionaire. Of course he has a secret hideout-room-lair. '

But he soon discovered it was more than that.

Upon entering the dark corridor, Peter had lost sight of Bruce. He just kept walking, until an opening showed itself. He was surprised at the amount of technology in the room for a moment.

Until a black clad crazy bat dude pushed him against a wall, growling in his face. "Why did you come to Gotham, Spider? What do you want? Is it me? Am I too 'criminal' for you?"

Peter sighed. "Yep. You got me, Bats. I'm here to capture you. Hence the elaborate ploy to infiltrate your company. I'm actually a cop. Well, not really a cop. MI6. You may have heard of us. Met Bond last week. Nice guy."

"Funny." Batman let go of Peter's collar, but still held him to the wall. "Your too effective, Parker. You catch criminals, you feel no pain from falls. You actually spin web. How? Botched experiment?"

"Nope. Bitten by a radioactive spider. Seriously, dude. You've done your research. If you know who I am, you know how I got there." Peter's scientific mind took over. "But how could you know? Those experiments weren't public knowledge. Well, mine wasn't. You'd need hacking skills. And the only man with that type of skill is Lucius Fox. And who does Fox work for? Bruce Wayne. Where do you operate from? Under Wayne Manor? I know what you are."

Batman groaned. "Say it."

Peter put in his best emotionless face, and whispered, "A vampire."

He smirked, "Nah, just kidding. Your Bruce Wayne. Duh."


End file.
